Project Malibu Muscle's bottom side gets a total rehab

Rather than replace a part here, another part there, and wind up with some old and new parts, we decided to unbolt and toss just about everything that will unbolt from the bottom side of our '68 Malibu. The best part is we're surrounded by high-quality parts from some of the best companies in the aftermarket. They've assembled everything you need in kit or crate form. It cuts down on the expense to the builder/owner and keeps you from having to wonder if you ordered all the parts you need, or if you'll discover somethings missing in the middle of the project?

After noticing the popularity of the "crate" motors in rods and musclecars, Currie Enterprises developed a crate rearend. If you're going with stock dimensions and aren't doing monster tubs, this is a simple way to go. It's quicker and less expensive than piecing together your own rearend assembly and still allows flexibility in ratios. Of course, Currie can still accommodate just about any custom application imaginable, in a variety of configurations. We chose the company's 9+ with Trac Lok and a 3.50 ratio, and it went in with no complications. What used to be referred to as a Ford 9-inch is a thing of the past. The parts in the 9+ are all new, not re-constituted scrapyard material, and are even stronger than in the past. The supply of salvage parts dried up some time ago, so everything is new.

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Here's the start of our new assembly in the Currie shop.

Once we had the rear set up the way we wanted it, it was time to do the entire suspension, front to back. Hotchkis Performance offers a unique Total Vehicle System (TVS) that is engineered for specific makes, models, and years of most high-performance cars built today-and definitely for Chevy musclecars. The TVS for Project Malibu Muscle allows us to avoid piecing a system together as it includes everything we need to upgrade the chassis for maximum handling on the street. There's a package for small-block cars and for big-blocks; we're using the latter.

Gonzalo Sepulveda and Mario Cortez have done a few thousand of these...

We will soon have a big-block nestled between those new fenders, which will impact the ride height quite a bit, and at that time we'll finish the steering components. When we mentioned the car didn't have a drivetrain to the Hotchkis folks, they told us that they ordinarily prefer the car be as close to the final configuration before installing the suspension system since the weight, of course, will affect the final alignment. However, in this case, Hotchkis decided to install the suspension on our Malibu to make the point to other builders that the suspension install isn't complete until the car has all the "heavy" parts such as engine, trans, interior, major accessories, and the correct tires and wheels. Don't expect your project to sit right until everything is installed, and then do the front end alignment.

Can't make it ride and roll without thinking of how to stop it, can we? Since one of our goals is to build a car that most readers and builders can identify with, we intentionally avoided highly-sophisticated (and maybe complicated) brake systems that would add measurable amounts of bucks to our project. Master Power Brakes has specifically engineered a package for A-bodies that replaces the stock rear drums with their own "big" rear drums, and front disc brakes. Master Power Brakes claims tests have shown that this front disc/rear drum setup is as effective as four-wheel discs on A-bodies such as our Malibu. Master Power also sent us its booster, master cylinder, and proportioning valve, so we have everything.

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Gonzalo Sepulveda and Mario Cortez have done a few thousand of these...

...so it's like poetry in motion.

Use 40 ft-lbs of torque on the third member bolts.

Install the axles and brakes. We are going with Master Power Brakes front and rear, with larger than stock drums in the rear (11 inches vs. stock 9 1/3).

We didn't add lube when we hauled the shiny new rearend out of the shop because it's easier to handle the assembly when it's dry, but we'll get to that as soon as we can.

Currie tells us that they do get tech line calls from customers who can't figure out why the rearend gears are so noisy right after they install them. That's because all the rearends are shipped dry.

The new rearend was installed in a very short time as all the brackets and perches are identical with a stock GM unit so there's nothing to guess about.

Then, it was off to Hotchkis to get all the high-performance suspension parts installed.

Here's the start of our TVS installation. Not only do these rearend components look better than the old parts, they perform about a million-percent better (that's just an educated guess).

Use generous amounts of white grease to ensure an easy fit, and a lack of squeaks.

Take the old locating arm out and put the new one in the same place. There is, by the way, a right and left side so before installing, read the directions (you do read the directions, don't you?).

Cory Bedortha attaches the sway bar brackets, and then hangs the rear sway bar. It's at this point that you will know if the right and left locating arms are installed correctly as the sway bar attaches to them.

Whichever end you're working on, be safe! Support everything, even if you don't have a rack and other tools as cool as Hotchkis. We're working with parts that contain springs and support lots of weight so avoid surprises and enjoy your car when the project is done.

Removal begins with shocks, spindles, and ball joints. The Hotchkis TVS kit doesn't come with new ball joints, so have a new set ready.

No use putting in all of these brand new high-performance parts and leaving the worn out ball joints in, right?

With the new ball joints installed (a separate job in itself) we add the new spindles and slide the new springs in (all part of the TVS package).

Raise the lower A-arm with a jack and secure the bottom of the spindle.

Install the Bilsteins now.

After tightening the bolts for the disc backing plate, bend the tang over the bolt head to keep it from backing off.

Then we thoroughly clean the Master Power Brake discs...

...install the bearings, seal with generous amounts of grease...

...and slide the rotor onto the spindle.

Install the caliper assembly and the steering linkage, tighten up, and we're ready to finish with the sway bar.

In case you're second guessing us, we didn't forget to install the brake lines, we're just saving that for another installment. We'll go with entirely new parts on that job also.

Mark the spots using the sway bar as a template, then drill holes for the mounting brackets.

Grease and install the end links, grease up the bushings in the brackets...

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